A Walk on the Beach
Hello, everyone.
It has been so long since I have written anything other than college essays and papers. For the past three years my excuse has been due to my attending university and earning my degree in political science. I kept thinking that after obtaining my degree, I could easily slip back into my writing mode.
But instead, it has completely alienated me from writing. I firmly believe that our schools do not develop the creative mind. Instead, they prevent opening the visions of the mind and the free-flow of ideas. Unfortunately, that is how I feel and I know that I am not alone in these thoughts.
After graduation last month, my wife and I made the momentous move from California to Florida. Although I am not unfamiliar with our Florida cottage, I must admit I am somewhat struggling to adjust to my new surroundings. Every day I drive the Honda to Navarre Beach Park for a walk barefoot on the beach. Each day I complete my three miles. Occasionally waves sweep my feet and the water soaks my shorts. I don’t mind just listening to waves hissing noise. It gives me peace of mind and I easily lose myself into the oblivion. But, then there are so many things rushing through my mind that I cannot put them in order and make sense of them.
Another thing that is helping me adjust is my daily visit to Starbucks. I am seeing people there writing, reading and enjoying their conversation with their friends. I see students, probably from Pensacola State College, coming in and doing their homework. Starbucks has become the daily life of many American men and women. With all these routines, I am beginning to take my creative side of my brain into its writing mode.
I begin to gather my thoughts in a cohesive way and finally I start to write these pages. You might wonder what triggered me to write now? On my “Good Reads” pages my fellow writers ask the question, “What makes a writer write?” For me it is simple. I do not write all the time, but when something or someone presses that button, then nothing can stop me from writing.
Last night, I came to bed at around midnight. I saw my wife sleeping on her back, one arm at her side, and the other laid above her head. When I turned the night light on, I saw her face. Quite frankly I have not seen her in this manner. She looked beautiful and peaceful in her sleep, her face angelic, sleeping like an infant baby girl safe and secure in her domicile. I froze and watched her sleeping. Nancy is a light sleeper, a tiny bit of sound can wake her up, but last night she was in a deep sleep.
I asked myself, why? I believe it is because she feels a sense of security in this cottage. It is her mother, Arlene’s home. It is because her father, Fred, selected the land and her mother built the cottage after Fred passed on. Now, both her parents have traversed to the other world. In my wife’s face I saw an innocent girl, sleeping soundly with confidence that no ghost or other unsavory beings would harm her. Although disabled with her scoliosis, and living through years of pain, she now sleeps peacefully. Her angelic face, so innocent and beautiful, touched my senses and I wanted to protect that girl and take care of her. In reality, it is she who takes care of me more so than I for her.
In the cottage she wants to take care of the cleaning, I will let her for the time being, but worry that it is too much for her. In California, we had housekeeper come every month to clean our two-bedroom apartment. Even after the cleaning she would go over the kitchen, seeing the spots that the cleaning lady had missed. At night, she would get up and take her medicine so that she can sleep. I now realize that our new environment is her happiness, and I realize a lot of other things that make sense.
In California, we were paying out almost $2000 for rent. On occasion, we would take a weekend off and stay at a resort somewhere and enjoy, but those times were infrequent. Now, that money is our enjoyment money. We have more freedom financially to do more traveling, which we both love, and we are involved in developing a movie based on one of my books.
It is an exciting time for both of us. Not far from the cottage is Gulf Islands National Seashore. It is a perfect place for writers and I am thinking of perhaps starting a writers group. Our grandkids will be here in a few weeks for a visit and they plan to visit us often. We plan on traveling back to LA in August for a get together with our friends. In October, we plan on a trip to DC to attend our annual Turkish Republic Day Ball and to visit Arlington Cemetery, where Nancy’s parents, Fred and Arlene, are interred. Atlanta is a mere 45-minute flight where Nancy and I both have many friends to visit as well as our grandkids.
I think I am going to like our new life and be more in the writing mode. Let’s hope so!